Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Hennessy: One choice can change everything.
The branch that had supported my weight for who knows how long disappeared behind a curtain of leaves as I carefully lowered myself down the tree.
It was always easier going up than down.
I knew my rainforest like the back of my hand, but this one was different.
These woods weren’t mine, and every branch felt more challenging than the last, waiting for me to make a mistake and slip and fall.
The oak creaked beneath us. It was old enough to remember the centuries it lived. Its bark was rough on the palms of my hands. Sap clung to my fingertips, sticky against all the cuts I’d earned while climbing up into its arms.
Up there, hidden from the world, there were no expectations from me, no whispers, no Graves Academy.
Just me.
The farther I made it down, the louder the whispers became again.
They were unforgiving, making me feel the instant sting of what awaited me once I stepped foot back on solid ground.
The wind stirred through the branches above and all around me, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine needles that I found comfort in.
Somewhere in the distance, an owl called into the night, but its cry was swallowed by the men stomping toward our direction. They were pissed, and I wondered if my uncle was among them this time.
The ground still looked impossibly far from my feet, and I was blown away by how far I’d made it up there to begin with. Onyx went first, one deliberate step at a time. He made it look so easy, only fueling my anger at the bullshit situation I found myself in.
Not once did he look toward the forest or even down, for that matter. His broad shoulders and bulky frame nearly blocked my way down, firing the flames of my rage.
“You know,” I sassed with nothing but annoyance in my tone. “A gentleman would have offered for me to go down first.”
“A gentleman.” A quiet scoff escaped his lips before he countered, “Manners won’t catch you if you fall, Hennessy.”
My core seized from hearing him say my name again.
“Then you’d run,” he added. “And trust me.” He peered up, meeting my eyes for the first time since we started down. “My prey never gets away.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bold assumption.”
He warned, “You’ll see.”
“Eres un cojudo,” I retorted, “You’re an idiot.”
He berated, “Who's lacking manners now?”
“Ah!” I ignored his remark. “You speak Spanish too?”
He ordered in a voice I didn’t appreciate, “Hennessy, eyes on me. Before you fall.”
I hated the fact that my eyes obeyed.
“Stop watching the ground,” he asserted. “It’s not going anywhere. You keep looking at where you’ll fall instead of where you’re going.”
I stated the obvious, “I climbed up here by myself.”
“Yeah, well, most people don’t fall climbing up.”
“Huh, you chase people up trees often?”
He smiled, his teeth bright against the moonlight. “Only when they run from me.”
My pulse quickened. He continued to watch me: my every movement, every shift of my weight, every inch of my body. I felt like I was going to fall for a whole other reason with his sole attention on me.
“That branch won’t hold you,” he insisted.
I sighed through my nose. “I know.”
“Then show me you do.” His words were clipped and controlled, like he was forcing each one through gritted teeth.
Once I stepped onto the ladder, he stopped moving, causing me to glance over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”
“I want you in front of me.”
Heat traveled down my neck. “No.”
In one sharp tone, he snapped, “Now!”
His demand struck every nerve in my body, as if he were ordering a dog that was expected to obey. I whipped around, fully intending to tell him exactly where he could shove his orders, except at the last second, my foot landed at the very edge of the rung and twisted.
I caught myself, but it didn’t matter. The old metal ladder gave way from the impact of my turn, lurching it sideways. It was only then I understood why he wanted me in front of him.
A scream lodged somewhere behind my ribs as gravity took over, propelling me backward. I never hit empty air. His arm hooked around my waist so fast I didn’t even see it coming.
I just felt it.
I just felt him.
With such force, he wrenched me against his hard, solid chest. The front of my body collided with his, the impact alone driving every ounce of my breath from my lungs like I’d fallen to my death.
The ladder exploded into noise as he fought to keep us upright, using our combined weight to keep it from tipping over.
The rails rattled violently beneath us as his boots hammered against the sides, battling for position while his free hand shot upward, catching the rail before it could gather more speed.
His body folded around mine, completely shielding me, taking every slam of the metal on him instead of me. His body stayed wrapped around mine while his chest rose sharply beneath my cheek until finally, he exhaled, long and slow, allowing himself to breathe.
The rattle started to subside, but his arm was still locked around my waist. Not loosely or even accidentally, it was tightly secure. I wasn’t going anywhere unless he wanted me to. Neither of us said a word. I was the only one breathing heavily, almost like I’d run a mile.
My anxious gaze shifted upward, locking eyes with him. We’d connected stares before, but this one was much different because I could see his whole face. For the first time since he found me, the carefully controlled expression he’d worn all night was gone.
His jaw was clenched so hard, and his pupils were blown out. All I could see was black now, replacing the honey color. His hair had fallen across his forehead, a few strands catching in the damp night air.
He was close enough that I could see the hard lines of his face, the sharp cut of his defined jawline with dark stubble shadowing his chin and upper lip. A faint scar disappeared beneath the edge of his beard, but it only made him appear that much more intimidating.
There wasn’t a trace of softness anywhere in him. Every one of his features had been carved with precision. I hated to admit this, but Onyx Devereaux was devastatingly handsome in a rough, rugged, raw way.
My captivated stare lingered longer than it should have, long enough to notice the effect he was suddenly having on me. His arm remained firmly around my waist while his body curved protectively around mine as though he hadn’t yet convinced himself that the danger had fully passed.
The silence between us stretched. For one impossible moment, I wondered if he felt it too. His eyes searched mine, yet they were unreadable as ever.
Then, without warning, his grip loosened as he broke the spell. “This doesn’t change what’s coming. If anything, it’ll only make you run faster from me.” And just like that, he demanded, “Next time, listen.”
Before I could say a word, my uncle shouted, “Hennessy!” His voice echoed, tearing through the woods.
In seconds, the forest erupted with flashlights cutting through the darkness from every direction, bouncing wildly between the trees as boots stomped around us.
Unsure of who I was informing, I whispered, “They’re here.”
Onyx didn’t look. Instead, he started moving, and I didn’t have to be told twice to stay in front of him that time. I climbed down exactly the way he originally wanted, with him behind me, still feeling the warmth of him every time I reached the next rung.
His tone hardened. “Eyes on the ladder.”
Of course, I looked down anyway.
My uncle burst through the trees first, his flashlight sweeping frantically across the night until he stopped right under the ladder beneath us. As soon as we reached the grass, my uncle grabbed my arm, yanking me away from Onyx, barely giving me time to react.
Tío’s palms cupped my face. They were freezing against my skin. Almost instantly, he began to look me over from head to toe.
“I thought…” He swallowed hard. “I thought…” He couldn’t finish his sentence.
Instead, his arms wrapped around me so tightly my ribs protested.
For a second, I let him. Allowing myself to disappear into his embrace I’d needed right then.
His heartbeat thundered against my cheek.
It was fast and wild, utterly terrified of what I did.
I hated that I worried him, though it didn’t stop the instinct that my purpose there was much more important than I thought.
It was only then I realized how truly afraid he’d been. When he pulled away, his hands stayed on my shoulders and relief vanished from his face. His expression swiftly shifted into one I was more familiar with: anger.
“What were you thinking?” he bit.
There it was. The question I knew was coming. I looked past him, not recognizing any of the men surrounding us. Onyx was behind me. I could no longer see him, but I still felt him, standing there, observing.
All eyes were on me.
“I asked you a question, Hennessy…”
“I heard you,” I muttered.
“Then answer me.”
I nodded, shrugging. “I just wanted to be alone.”
“You don’t disappear into these woods after dark, do you understand me?”
“I wasn’t disappearing.”
He let go of me. “You climbed a hundred feet up a tree, young lady!”
“So.” I shrugged again. “You ordered your men to find me and look, here I am.”
His jaw clenched. “Hennessy…”
“Why do you have men following your orders anyway?”
“The Academy is family, and that’s what we do for each other.”
“Family?” I mocked. “That’s rich coming from you.”
“Ay dios mío,” he murmured, “Oh my God,” shaking his head. “You’re as stubborn as your mother.”
“No.” I stepped back. “I’m not doing this here, not in front of your audience. I’m done being put on display like I’m some sort of doll for your precious Graves Academy.”
My statement echoed across the clearing, and his face paled.
“I’m twenty years old,” I exclaimed. “I’m not a child.”
His expression faltered.
“If I need to be alone, then that’s what I’m going to do, and you and your family can’t stop me.” I whipped around, staring straight at Onyx. “Especially your lapdog.”
Slowly, Onyx crossed his arms over his chest with an amused expression. It made him look bigger, more defined. One thing was for sure: he was enjoying this.
“Lapdog?” Onyx chuckled, tipping his chin to my tío. “Why don’t you ask your uncle who he answers to?”
Who does he answer to? You?
I didn’t ask my thought out loud. Instead, I spun back to Tío, questioning, “?En que te has metido?” I investigated, “What are you involved in?”
“Nina,” Tío proclaimed in a stern voice, “Little girl… not only have you ruined your surprise party my fiancé has spent months putting together for you to feel welcome, but you’ve also—” he gestured to me “—made a mess of yourself.” Abruptly, he hollered, “Jones!”
I jerked back when Alfred lurked out of the shadows.
“Take her home,” Tío ordered in one breath.
Alfred nodded, only eyeing me. If he had any feelings toward what was happening, he didn’t show it. It was almost like he was used to all this.
I brushed the dirt off my hands, smoothing out the wrinkles of what was left of my gown.
Sarcastically, I forced a smile before dramatically spewing, “Shows over.” I just wanted to get my point across. No one moved as I exited, executing, “You’re welcome for being tonight’s entertainment.”
I backed away, looking my uncle up and down. His expression lingered, fists clenched. I didn’t let it bother me. He needed to know that I wasn’t falling for these charades.
I walked away that night with my dignity, but I wasn’t entirely sure my soul was still intact.
Which was exactly what they craved.